大象传媒

When Maeve trained as a physiotherapist in Manchester, little did she know she would eventually move on and become involved in designing one of the country's showcase hospitals.

She said: "What it involves, day to day, is liasing with hospital staff, sorting out problems, looking into issues - but also in the last few years, I've been involved in designing the hospital, have helped do the programming to get all the patients moved up to the new site and commissioning the buildings - getting everything ready for the staff to move in."

Maeve says the hospital feels like her 'baby'

Maeve joined the project to build the new hospital while she was still in her mid-twenties and with very little management experience to her name at that point.听 She was a 'clinical advidser'. That was back in 2001 - and now describes the project as a "real learning experience", paying tribute to the other members of the team.

Speaking in her soft, Irish voice Maeve added: "It's been very exciting, seeing it from its birth - working with the staff and getting it ready for the patients.

"[I feel] very proud. I've often said it feels like my little baby! It'll be the biggest thing I will probably do in my career."

And as well as the obvious job satisfaction that Maeve has had, her career has also provided her with her husband of ten years. The man in question was a former patient who wooed her after a period of rehabilitation for his knee.

"It was great. He got something out of the NHS, a really good rehabilitated knee - and I met a lovely guy and I'm still with him now."